Finally......

Yesterday, the workers began removing the burned trusses!

This picture is out of order.  This is after the trusses were removed.

Workers!!  It's begun!

Another angle.  This, for most would be a upsetting picture.  Not for us...it's progress!!

Tuesday morning, before I dropped Mihiretu off at school, we stopped by the house (just because) and we had workers there!  As we pulled away, a big truck full of lumber turned into the driveway.  You should have heard the cheers coming from our car!!!  I actually had to choke back tears.  It's been hard to just see the house sit with no apparent progress being made.  Not any longer...we are on a roll!!  Thank you, God!

Yesterday, Blaine and I picked out a new fireplace for upstairs, confirmed our plumbing choices (sinks, faucets),  purchased a couch for the basement and met with our cabinet maker to begin the cabinet designing.  Busy and productive day...love it.

My sweet neighbor called me this morning to ask me if we'd been at the house recently.  She was so excited to see work being done and wanted to make sure we knew it.  I really do have the best neighbors.

The plan is that the workers will take the roof down in sections.  When they complete a section, they will set the new trusses, put the plywood on and cover it with that black waterproof paper stuff to protect it and then move onto the next section.  It's a really big job and this seems like a very good plan.  We're already having a very dry summer but if you can find it in your heart (amongst your dead grass), pray for no rain for the next week and a half so this job can get completed without rain delays.  Or at least no rain over our house!  

People keep asking me about how the boys are doing.  They are doing quite well, really.  Sadly, I think Mihiretu has had so many transitions in his life he sees this as just another move from a temporary home to another.  He told me that he keeps forgetting that that is our house and that we lived there.  I like to keep taking him there and talking about the new color of their room, etc and to see the progress.  He lives in the moment and I guess that has served him well over his life, considering all the changes he's undergone.  I am anxious to get him back home so he can feel that permanence again.

Misganaw talks about the fire every day.  He will say things like, "Mom, remember that black truck I had with the wheels?  The fire took it."  I acknowledge him but remind him that we will get a new one.  

Mihiretu had bike safety day at school last week.  He told me that the police came and he was scared.  I asked him repeatedly why he was scared.  He finally told me, "Remember when we had our fire and the police came up to our car and you were shivering and trying to talk to them (a stress response I seem to have)?  I was so scared."  So seeing the police at bike safety day reminded him of this.  Poor kid.

Katie also had a fire situation at school a couple weeks ago.  The alarms went off and she told me that it took everything she had not to completely panic and stay calm.  They made the same noise that ours did at home.  All the other kids were blowing it off like it was nothing. Katie's adrenalin was working overtime.  I guess this will stay with us a very long time. 

Blake has been very sick for the last couple weeks.  It turned out to be pneumonia.  After two visits to the doctor, he seems to be improving slowly.  Please pray for him.

Thank you for all your love, concern and support.

We see God working in this every day.  I pray we learn what it is He wants us to learn during this time.  Don't really want to repeat it!!

Blessings,

Laura